Breechxloading  ordnance



UNITED STATES ATENT @Erica YGEORGE CONOVER, OF SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTIGUT.

BREECHHLOADING ORDNANCE.

SEFIGATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,598, dated October 22, 1889.

Application filed .Tune 6, 1889. Serial No. 313,303. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it' may concern;

Be tknown that I, GEORGE CoNovEE, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Southington, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing, in which is represented a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a cannon provided with my invention.

The object of the present invention is to provide an extremely simple and efficient device for automatically locking and holding` the breech-pin employed in certain classes of breech-loading cannon, the device being so arranged that the greater the back-pressure exerted by the recoil from the discharge the greater will be the force exerted upon the breech-pin to hold it in place in the rear or breech of the cannon, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The device will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the letter A designates a cannon of suitable construct-ion and havin g the bore extended entirely thro ugh it. In the rear slightly-enlarged end of the bore the cylindrical breech-pin B is inserted, and in the liange g upon the forward end of the breechpin is removably held the cartridge E, which lits the bore of the gun and is withdrawn and inserted with the breech-pin. A iiring-pin D, provided with a head or knob C, is inserted in the breechpin. Formed in the lower side of the breech-pin B, near its rear end, is recess or groove a, which extends longitudinally of the pin and has its bottom curved, as shown. Pivoted upon a pin G in depending ears H, formed integral with lthe cannon, is a cam-lever E, the upper end h of which works through a slot in the cannon and is adapted to engage the groove a in the pin or plug B. The forward portion of the upper end b of the lever E is curved, so as to fit the bottom of the groove a snugly, whereby when the lever is dropped down to its normal position, as shown in full lines in the drawing, the pin B will be effectually prevented from being forced out by the recoil of the discharge. The curved upper portion of the lever E, working against the similarly-curved bottom of the groove ct, has a tendency to force the pin B forward to its seat in case it is not pushed entirely in when first inserted, as is evident. A forwardly-projecting shoulder c may be formed upon the lever E to abut against the rear of the gun when the lever is in its normal position, and thereby assist in holding the lever in proper position, and also assist in resisting the back-pressure exerted upon the pin B.v

The lower end of the lever E is provided with a weight d, which serves to keep the lever normally in a vertical position and in engagement with the pin B.

To withdraw the pin B it is simply necessary to turn the lever up to the position shown in dotted lines, when its upper end will be free from the groove a, the rear portion b' of the lever being cut away, so that the pin B will be free to be withdrawn.

By thus securing the breech-pin in the breech it will be observed that the greater the recoil the greater will be the force exerted upon the breech-pin by the lever, thus effectually binding it in place.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a cannon, a breech-pin inserted in the breech thereof and provided with a recess in its under side, a weighted cam-lever pivoted in a slot in the breech of the cannon and adapted to automatically engage the said recess in the breech-pin and prevent the withdrawal of the latter, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE CONOVER.

lVitnesses:

CHARLES P. HoBAR'r, MARCUS H. HoLooMB. 

